WD 40 on rusted RCA plugs?

[Lagato]

Dear all, I have a rusted RCA plug that I would like to use. Since I don't do much DIYing, I don't have different sprays and don't want to spent money to purchase a can just to clean a single plug. I do have a can of WD-40, some say that it sucks out the moisture (which is good) but forms a layer of insulation (bad), WD-40 official website says that "2. DISPLACES MOISTURE: Because WD-40 displaces moisture, it quickly dries out electrical systems to eliminate moisture-induced short circuits.", making it suitable for electronic contacts? I don't know what to do. Any cheap home solution? Alcohol?

Thanks a dozen.

 

[j_garcia]

Same thing you would clean corrosion off a battery with: baking soda in water. it will clean it, but if the corrosion is deep, there's little you can realistically do. Moisture is no longer the issue now that it is already corroding, so WD40 won't help IMO. You can however put dielctric grease on it once cleaned to help prevent further corrosion.

Don't buy cleaning fluid, just replace the cable, providing it isn't an in wall run or something weird. Blue Jeans Cable and Monoprice have excellent cables and great pricing.

 

[m_vanmeter]

WD-40 can leave a gummy residue behind and it is not a lubricant, so I would not recommend it for electronics regardless of what is on the label. Matter of fact, I don't recommend WD-40 for anything.

RCA cables are so inexpensive from Monoprice http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021803&p_id=5347&seq=1&format=2 I would not waste the time on old cables and plugs.

If it is the female RCA connector that shows corrosion, just get a 3M green scrubby pad at the grocery store in the cleaning section and use it to buff off the bad stuff. No other cleaners needed, just a little buffing with a slightly abrasive pad.

 

[highfigh]

Same thing you would clean corrosion off a battery with: baking soda in water. it will clean it, but if the corrosion is deep, there's little you can realistically do. Moisture is no longer the issue now that it is already corroding, so WD40 won't help IMO. You can however put dielctric grease on it once cleaned to help prevent further corrosion.

Don't buy cleaning fluid, just replace the cable, providing it isn't an in wall run or something weird. Blue Jeans Cable and Monoprice have excellent cables and great pricing.

The rust wasn't caused by acid and baking soda/water won't do anything to remove rust. Baking soda is a high Ph substance and it neutralizes low Ph substances, like acids.

 

[j_garcia]

It won't react the rust, but it will scrub clean most anything Using abrasive scrubs may actually remove gold/nickel corrosion resistant top layers because they are pretty thin.

I use DeOxit for minor corrosion but if something is corroded enough that it isn't making connection, replacing it is a far better solution.

 

[Lagato]

Thanks. I'll try baking soda then maybe the 3m bad since you said it was abrasive. The corrosion is not on the cable but the interconnects on the amp, should've stuck my gold plated cable in to prevent corrosion.